No- it’s not Friday because everyone knows Friday is Sparkle Video Day! Today’s post is about last weekend, which I spent at my good friend R. Wayne’s exclusive and rustic summer house in the country. It’s so nice to leave the cell phones and internet behind and get away to enjoy nature and all that other natural stuff that goes along with it. However, there’s one thing I refuse to give up no matter where I am and that’s a dance party complete with disco balls and gobs of glitter. The best part is that these dance parties are old school which means vinyl only, as nothing sounds as great as good old fashioned records.
Back to the point anyway.. last weekend I discovered a treasure among treasures in the record bin- the “Thank God It’s Friday” soundtrack! I already have the movie in my DVD collection, but seeing and touching this piece of history was like discovering the holy grail. This album is the perfect example of why vinyl was, and still is, so much better. First, there’s the album art which includes inner sleeve covers for each of the three discs (2 plus 1 bonus disc!), all covered with various disco-tastic images from the movie. Then, as a favor to all the DJ’s out there, the BPM for each track is noted for seamless mixing. This album has so many classics on it such as the self titled theme song by Love and Kisses, Patti Brooks’ legendary “After Dark” and “Last Dance” from our queen, Donna Summer. However, my new obsession is Sunshine‘s “Take It To The Zoo” , which is one sexified, hypnotic track, especially when they sing, “It’s fridaaay night.. thank GAaawwd”.
Lastly, the best and most dazzling thing about record albums is the additional stuff they used to put inside them and this one had a fabulous but forgotten gem- an order form for official TGIF merchandise! It’s been laying inside the album since 1978- a little sparkling time capsule just waiting for Da General to find it, break it free and let if be loved all over again. Sometimes, I just look at it and touch it. Other times I go full-blown fantasy and contemplate if I want to order the gold necklace or the satin jack. Maybe even throw in some disco wrist bands. Then again, for these prices, I could buy it all and why not? After all… More is More!
Today’s Sparkle Video is one of the sexiest and most hypnotic disco songs ever. It’s the kind you want to be playing while you dazzle on the dance floor to a never ending extended mix because everything about this track is on point. Starting with the steady beat of the intro, the kick-in of melodically haunting background vocals and then, of course, Sylvester’s legendary falsetto yearning for the man he loves. He is competing for his lover with a woman who can buy him diamonds and all kinds of fancy gifts, while he has nothing to offer but his love. Intense, right? So intense that while there are many so many other Sylvester videos where he is dripping in sequins, this clip was chosen even though here he sits in a proper man’s suit with only the smallest accents of fabulous. His clever addition of a sparkling silver tie and a coat worn over his shoulders in “cape style” fashion lets you know that he is no ordinary man hanging out in a bar, but that he is the better choice and he knows it. Sure- do I wish he was in a bedazzled catsuit? Yes. Does it matter? NO.
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